Loom picker

ABSTRACT

A picker for the picker stick of a loom which includes a body portion, a shuttle engaging member removably and operatively associated with said body portion having a shock absorbing element interposed therebetween for cushioning the forces of impact created by a loom shuttle upon the shuttle engaging member.

United States Patent [1 1 Budzyna 1 1 LOOM PICKER [75 Inventor: Joseph M. Budzyna, East Douglas,

' Mass.

[73] Assignee: North American Rockwell Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

22 Filed: Mil-27, 1972 211' 'App1.No.:238,251

[52] U.S. Cl. 139/159 [51] Int. Cl D03d 49/36 [58] Fieldol Search 139/159, 160R [56] References Clted UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,440,! 82 4/1948 Muller 139/159 3,422,862 1/1969 Murray 139/159 3,020,932 2/ 1 962 Rivera 139/159 3,302,667 2/1967 Urquhart et a1. 139/ l 59 Aug. 28, 1973 3,507,304 4/1970 l-laag 139/159 3,698,443 10/1972 Jacob 139/159 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 486,584 4/1970 Switzerland 139/159 OTHER PUBLICATIONS 1,814,502 6-1970 German Application (Kenk).

Primary Examiner-James Kee Chi Attorney-John R. Bronaugh et a1.

[ ABSTRACT A picker for the picker stick of 111mm which includes a body portion, a shuttle engaging member removably and operatively associated with said body portion having a shock absorbing element interposed therebetween for cushioning the forces of impact created by a loom shuttle upon the shuttle engaging member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention pertains to a loom picker of the type adapted to be assembled on the picker stick of a flyshuttleloom. During the performance of .their intended function, pickers are adapted to engage the ends or socalled spurs of a shuttle and serve, as is well known to those conversant in the art, to receive'and then pick a shuttle across the width of -a loom.

In fly shuttle looms a .common type of picker which is utilized is one of unitary construction having formed on one end thereof 'a conically shaped recess for engagement with the shuttle spur and a loop at its opposite end defining an opening adapted for reception of the top of a picker stick.

Pickers .of this type are commonly referred to by those familiar with the weaving art as loop pickers.

Relative to the associated components functioning in conjunction with these pickers, the life expectancy of said pickers is comparatively much less. When a picker of this type becomes-worn to the extent that its replacement is necessary, considerable time is necessary to properly position a new picker on the picker stick so as to. assure that its path of travel will be within the accepted paralleling range necessary for proper shuttle flight. a

According to the present invention a loom picker is provided which possesses an impact absorbing quality which increases the life expectancy of the shuttle engaging portion of the picker. Additionally the invention eliminates the need of replacing the complete picker when the shuttle engaging portion becomes worn thereby eliminating the need for paralleling of the picker which would ordinarily have to be done when making a replacement of this nature.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The loop picker of the present invention has a configuration when assembled which gives it the outward appearance .of the well known one piece loop picker having a generally rectangular cross section and with an opening at one end for assembly on the top portion of a loom picker stick.

' The picker includes a body portion having the usual opening for reception of the upper end of a picker stick and a shuttle engaging member including a conically shaped recess for engaging the shuttle spur. The body portion includes a centrally disposed lipped protrusion on one end which is adapted to assemble within a centrally located lipped opening of complementary configuration within, the shuttle engaging member. A spacer or washer like 'element fabricated from a resilient material and possessing shock absorbing qualities is interposed between the body portion and shuttle engaging member and serves to cushion the forces of impact of the loom shuttle when it engages said engaging member.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a loom picker having a readily replaceable shuttle engaging portion and possessing shock absorbing qualities for cushioning the forces of impact upon the latter when engaged by a shuttle.

A further object is to provide a loom picker which will eleminate the required paralleling adjustments necessary when replacing loom pickers of the conventional type and through its, shock absorbing will reduce the noise level created bythe picking and boxing ofa shuttlc.

These and other objects'of the present invention will become more fully apparent by reference to the appended claims and as the following detaileddescription proceeds in reference to the figures of drawing wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OE-TI-IE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa loom picker according to the invention showing its assembled position on the upper end of a picker stick;

FIG. 2 is a view in end elevation of the picker shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view as seen looking in the direction of the indicating arrows of line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4 and S are perspective views showing the shuttle engaging member and body portion of the picker respectively and the means of assembling one to the other; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the shock absorbing element adapted to assemble intermediate the shuttle engaging member and the body portion of the picker.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the figures of the drawing there is shown in FIG. 1 a loom picker indicated generally by numeral 10 assembled in operating position on the upper portion of a loom picker stick II.

The picker 10 includes a body portion 12 and a shuttle engaging member 13 removably attached to said body portion by a means to be more fully described. The end of the shuttle engaging member opposite that end adapted to assemble to the body portion 12, is pro vided with a generally centralized conical shaped indentation 14 into which a shuttle tip enters during loom operation. The body portion 12 includes side walls 15 and I6 and are interconnected at that end opposite the shuttle engaging member to define an end wall 17 that, together with the other walls, forms an opening 18 (FIG. 3) which receives the picker stick 11.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 the body portion 12 is provided with a generally centrally disposed and integrally formed protrusion 19 disposed at that end oposite the end wall 17. This protrusion includes an integrally formed head portion 20 of a size slightly larger than said protrusion and defines a lipped surface 21 extending about the outer edge of said head portion.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 the shuttle engaging member 13 is provided with a centrally disposed opening 22 which conforms to the shape of the protrusion l9, The opening 22 communicates with an internal recess 23. This recess has a configuration complementary to the head portion 20 and is adapted to receive the latter when assembling the shuttle engaging member 13 to the body portion 12. The shuttle engaging member 13 is maintained in operating position on the body portion 12 by the lipped surface 21 within the recess 23 and to facilitate assembly of one member to the other they are fabricated from any type of resilient material having shock absorbing, frictional heat and wear resisting properties.

A spacer or washer like element 24 made of a resilient material and possessing shock absorbing qualities is assembled between the body portion 13 and the shuttle engaging member 13 and serves to cushion the shuttle and the shuttle engaging member. In assembled position the central end portions of the body portion and engaging member are disposed in spaced relation as shown at 23! in FIG. 3 and serve to direct the forces of impact on the engaging member to the washer element 24.

To summarize the operation the picker is assembled adjacent the upper end of a loom picker stick in any suitable well known manner, such as a screw (not shown) seated in opening 25 formed in the end wall 17. The pecise adjustments ordinarily required to accurately parallel pickers have been eliminated by means of the permanently attached body portion 12 and the readily replaceable shuttle engaging member 13. When the shuttle engaging member becomes worn to the extent that its replacement is required, the body portion 12 of the picker need not be removed nor its setting disturbed for said shuttle engaging member is easily and quickly removed and replaced. The washer like element 24 interposed between the body portion and shuttle engaging member is also readily replacable and, possessing shock absorbing qualities, it serves to cushion the forces of impact by a loom shuttle upon the picker during boxing, increases the life expectancy of said shuttle engaging member and also to decrease the amount of noise created during the boxing and picking of a shuttle.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as those skilled in the art'will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and-scope of the invention and the appended claims. i a

I claim:

l. A picker for a loom picker stick having in combination a body portion and a detachable shuttle engaging member, said body portion having one end adapted for attachment to the picker stick with means at its opposite end for attaching said shuttle engaging member, and a shock absorbing means disposed intermediate said body portion and shuttle engaging member, said attaching means comprising an integrally formed lipped protrusion extending from said body portion, a lipped opening in said engaging member complimentary to said protrusion within which the latter assembles forming a releasable connection therebetween and defining centrally disposed spaced end surfaces within said lipped opening between said protrusion and body member for directing the forces of impact on said engaging member to said shock absorbing means when engaged by a loom shuttle.

2. The picker according to claim 1 wherein said shock absorbing means comprises a washer member of resilient material interposed between said body portion and shuttle engaging member. 

1. A picker for a loom picker stick having in combination a body portion and a detachable shuttle engaging member, said body portion having one end adapted for attachment to the picker stick with means at its opposite end for attaching said shuttle engaging member, and a shock absorbing means disposed intermediate said body portion and shuttle engaging member, said attaching means comprising an integrally formed lipped protrusion extending from said body portion, a lipped opening in said engaging member complimentary to said protrusion within which the latter assembles forming a releasable connection therebetween and defining centrally disposed spaced end surfaces within said lipped opening between said protrusion and body member for directing the forces of impact on said engaging member to said shock absorbing means when engaged by a loom shuttle.
 2. The picker according to claim 1 wherein said shock absorbing means comprises a washer member of resilient material interposed between said body portion and shuttle engaging member. 